Octave Klaba is a French entrepreneur and technology visionary best known as the founder of OVHcloud, one of Europe’s largest cloud computing companies. From a modest start to competing with global tech giants, Klaba’s journey reflects innovation, resilience, and a strong belief in digital sovereignty.
Early Life and Education
Octave Klaba was born in 1983 in France to Polish immigrant parents. Raised in a working-class family, he developed an early interest in computers and technology. Klaba pursued engineering studies at École Centrale de Lille, where he gained strong technical foundations that would later shape his entrepreneurial path.
Even as a student, Klaba demonstrated an entrepreneurial mindset, experimenting with servers and hosting solutions in his spare time.
Founding of OVHcloud
In 1999, while still a teenager, Octave Klaba founded OVH (originally “On Vous Héberge”) from his family home. What started as a small web-hosting operation quickly evolved into a full-scale cloud infrastructure company.
Under Klaba’s leadership, OVHcloud focused on:
- Building its own data centers
- Designing in-house servers
- Offering affordable and scalable cloud services
This vertically integrated model allowed OVHcloud to reduce costs and maintain strong control over its infrastructure.
Growth into a European Cloud Leader
OVHcloud expanded rapidly across Europe and later into North America and Asia. The company positioned itself as a European alternative to U.S. hyperscalers, emphasizing data protection, transparency, and compliance with EU regulations.
Today, OVHcloud serves:
- Governments
- Enterprises
- Startups
- Developers worldwide
Its services include public cloud, private cloud, bare metal servers, and web hosting solutions.
Leadership Philosophy and Vision
Octave Klaba is known for his engineering-first approach to leadership. Unlike many tech founders, he prioritizes infrastructure ownership, technical autonomy, and long-term sustainability over rapid short-term profits.
A strong advocate of European digital sovereignty, Klaba has often spoken about the importance of keeping cloud data under European jurisdiction, especially for sensitive public-sector and enterprise data.
Challenges and Resilience
In 2021, OVHcloud faced a major challenge when a fire destroyed one of its Strasbourg data centers. Klaba personally addressed customers, took responsibility, and committed to rebuilding stronger and more resilient infrastructure.
This transparent crisis management strengthened trust in the brand and highlighted Klaba’s hands-on leadership style.
OVHcloud IPO and Global Recognition
In October 2021, OVHcloud went public on the Euronext Paris, marking a major milestone in the company’s history. The IPO reinforced OVHcloud’s position as a strategic tech company for Europe.
Octave Klaba remains a key shareholder and continues to influence the company’s long-term vision.
Personal Life and Interests
Despite his success, Klaba maintains a relatively low public profile. He is known for his passion for engineering, innovation, and mentoring young entrepreneurs. He frequently engages with the tech community through conferences, interviews, and public discussions on cloud infrastructure and cybersecurity.
Legacy and Impact
Octave Klaba’s story is a powerful example of how European entrepreneurship can compete on a global scale. By building OVHcloud from the ground up, he has shown that innovation, independence, and technical excellence can challenge even the world’s biggest tech companies.
His work continues to shape the future of cloud computing in Europe and beyond.
